Ernest Ronald Oxburgh, Baron Oxburgh, KBE, FRS, HonFREng[1] (born 2 November 1934) is a British geologist, geophysicist, and politician.[2] Lord Oxburgh is well known for his work as a public advocate in both academia and the business world in addressing the need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and develop alternative energy sources[3] as well as his negative views on the consequences of current oil consumption.

During 2004–05 Oxburgh was a non-executive chairman of Shell, the UK arm of Royal Dutch Shell. His tenure was remarkable in that while chairing a fossil fuels giant he expressed his "fears for the planet" because of climate change, sought new energy sources, and urged the global community to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.[8]

In March 2010, he was appointed as the chairman of an inquiry into the research conducted by the Climatic Research Unit following the Climatic Research Unit hacking incident.[12] The report,[13] released 14 April 2010, found that "...work has been carried out with integrity, and that allegations of deliberate misrepresentation and unjustified selection of data are not valid." Critics asserted Oxburgh's ties with businesses that stood to profit from the decision created a conflict of interest.[14][15] The University of East Anglia did not see any conflict of interest,[16] stating,

“The choice of scientists is sure to be the subject of discussion, and experience would suggest that it is impossible to find a group of eminent scientists to look at this issue who are acceptable to every interest group which has expressed a view in the last few months. Similarly it is unlikely that a group of people who have the necessary experience to assess the science, but have formed no view of their own on global warming, could be found.[17]

While at Princeton, Oxburgh was joined by his fiancee, Ursula, whom he married in the university chapel. They have three children.[18] An outdoorsman, Oxburgh enjoyed orienteering and running marathons until knee surgery limited him to mountain hikes with his wife.[2]

Moorbath, S., Thompson, R.N. and Oxburgh, E.R. (1984) "The relative contributions of mantle, oceanic crust and continental crust to magma genesis: Proceedings of a Royal Society discussion meeting held on 23 and 24 March 1983", Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London, 310 (1514), 342 p., London: Royal Society, ISBN0-85403-230-4

Oxburgh, E R., Yardley, B.W.D. and England, P.C. (Eds) (1987) Tectonic settings of regional metamorphism, Proceedings of a Royal Society discussion meeting in association with IGCP project no.235 on 'Metamorphism and Geodynamics' held on 29 and 30 January 1986, London: Royal Society, ISBN0-85403-290-8